Drone Filming for Car Commercials in Los Angeles
A car spot lives or dies on motion. The aerial has to hold the car in frame at speed, match the look of the ground cameras and cut cleanly into the edit. Lithium Aerials is a Los Angeles drone company that flies car commercials, features and television, with the aircraft and crew to work inside a full automotive unit.
Automotive Aerial Filming That Matches the Ground Cameras
On most car jobs the aerials share the edit with an arm car, so they have to look like the same commercial. Our heavy-lift aircraft, including the Freefly Alta X, can carry the same camera body as the A-camera, often with the DP's own lenses. The colorist gets matching footage, and the DP isn't stuck with whatever lens comes with a drone. The rig is van-ready, so it moves with the company from location to location. See heavy-lift cinema drones.
Choosing the Right Aircraft for the Shot
- DJI Inspire 3. Our go-to for most automotive work. Full-frame image, fast to set up and economical. Tracking shots, reveals and top-downs on a driving car.
- Heavy-lift (Alta X). When the aerials need the A-camera body and cinema lenses.
- FPV. For close, fast moves: chasing the car, weaving through a turn, low passes over the hood. See FPV drone filming.
If the shot doesn't need the bigger aircraft, we'll tell you.
Working With Camera Cars and Chase Vehicles
A drone on a car spot is one piece of a moving unit. We coordinate with the precision driver, the picture car team and the camera car crew running the Russian Arm or U-Crane, so the aerial and the arm aren't fighting for the same space or the same line. Speeds, marks and the run are agreed before anyone rolls, and we rehearse the move with the driver when the shot calls for it. The goal is simple: a clean take on the first run that's safe for everyone on the road.
Roads, Permits and Paperwork
Production and locations handle road closures and location permits. We don't arrange either. What we handle is the drone side: we prepare the drone-specific FilmLA paperwork for production to pull with the permit, and we take care of FAA airspace authorizations where the shot needs them. Our heavy-lift aircraft fly under an FAA 44807 exemption for aircraft over 55 lb. See drone permits.
Insured and Ready for Production
- $5M aviation liability insurance
- COIs issued the same or next business day
- FAA Part 107 certified pilots
- FAA 44807 exemption for aircraft over 55 lb
- Local 600 crew
See the Work
The reel above is mostly automotive. More is on our work page.
Car Commercial Drone FAQs
Can your drone carry the same camera as our A-camera? Often, yes. Our heavy-lift aircraft can carry cinema camera bodies and lenses so the aerials match the ground cameras. Tell us the camera and lens package and we'll confirm.
Which drone do you use most for car commercials? The DJI Inspire 3. Heavy-lift comes in when the aerials need to match the A-camera or the DP wants their own lenses, and FPV for close, fast chase moves.
Do you arrange road closures or location permits? No. Production and locations handle road closures and permits. We prepare the drone-specific FilmLA paperwork for production to pull with the permit.
Can you work alongside an arm car? Yes. We coordinate with the precision driver, the picture car and the camera car team so the drone and the arm work the same run safely.
What insurance do you carry? $5M aviation liability. COIs go out the same or next business day.
Are your pilots certified? Yes. Our pilots are FAA Part 107 certified, our crew is Local 600 and our heavy-lift aircraft fly under an FAA 44807 exemption for aircraft over 55 lb.
Who We’ve Worked With
